Bedford, England

BCA Paddlesports

BCA Paddlesports is a volunteer-run Bedfordshire association based beside Priory Lake in Bedford. It welcomes beginners and experienced paddlers for canoeing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding, with club kit available during organised sessions and membership routes for adults, young people and families.

Recreational paddling
Flatwater kayaking
Open canoeing
Stand-up paddleboarding

Visit official joining page Club website

Information checked 23 September 2026View sources

Before you join

Adult beginners: Adult membership starts at 18, with separate young-person, standard-adult and senior categories. The club publishes regular organised paddles between May and October, usually on Thursday evenings, plus weekend sessions and open days. Check the current calendar before relying on a session.
Junior paddlers: Youth membership is published for ages 8 to 17. Family options can include children or grandchildren with one or two adults. The membership categories do not confirm that every session suits every age, so families should ask about supervision, current spaces and the planned activity.
Equipment: The association provides a full range of kit for organised Thursday and weekend sessions. Membership includes equipment use during club activities. Independent lake use has different conditions: members need their own equipment and suitable insurance, and must follow the lake rules.
Accessibility: The association says it aims to include differently-abled paddlers. The shared centre publishes a ground-floor accessible and family changing room with a toilet and shower. Those facilities do not prove an accessible waterside transfer, adaptive craft or personal support, so discuss the activity before joining.
Where the club paddles: Priory Water Sports Centre sits within Priory Country Park beside a sheltered lake. The association shares changing rooms, showers, a kitchen and other facilities with Priory Sailing Club. Organised activity and independent paddling follow different rules, so use the current booking or membership guidance.